Earth moving device



Jan. 8, 1935- R. E. CHOATE ET AL 1,987,052

EARTH MOVING DEVICE Filed Jan. 16, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l mhi J N /IN VEN70/65: RD) E. CHOA TE WALDO R0015? ATTORNEY Jan. 8, 1935. CHOATE r AL1,987,052

EARTH MOVING DEVI CE Filed Jan. 16, 1932 4 SheetsSheet 2 //V VE N TOPSR0 Y E CHOA TE WAL D0 5 RODLER B Y W Jan. 8, 1935 i R. E. CHOATE ET AL.1,987,052

EARTH MOVING DEVICE Filed Jan. 16, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 m a: 2:

Ill .mll lllllllllll nlllmmg //v vmvrozes ROY E.- CHOATE WALDO E RODLERA TTOR/VEY Jan. 8, 1935.

R E. cHoATE El AL EARTH MOVI NG DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 16,1932 fiiwwwmm @q i m 6 W #m w mm W65 R P W A 2W Patented Jan. 8, 193 5 IUNITED STATES 1,981,052 I mn'rn MOVING nnvrcs Roy E. Choate and Waldo E.Rodler, Cedar Rapids,

Iowa, minors to La Plant-chaste Manufacturing Co. Inc., Cedar Rapids,Iowa, a corporation of Delaware Application January 16, 1932, Serial No.587,108

8 Claims.

Our invention refers to earth moving devices, the term earth being takenin its broad sense to include snow, ice, and the like, and hasparticular relation to a means and structure for 5 mounting andmanipulating a plow, or like device, on a trafiar.

It is known to the art to mount a plow or like device on a tractor bymeans of a framework which is plvotally engaged for vertical movementwith reference to the tractor and to move this frame and hence the plowby means of a hydraulic jack.

We have observed, however, that a mounting of the usual character is notentirely satisfactory because the tractor is surrounded by a frameworkwhich prevents use of the tractor for hauling other equipment becauseparts of the plow-mounting and manipulating structure interfere with thedraw bar and hauled equipment, or the parts thereof dig into the earthat times, and that a tractor cannot turn in a short radius because ofthe parts of the device. We have also observed that structures of theusual type are subject to considerable strain at the pivotal mounting ofthe plow-supporting framework because of warping and other undue stressat the bearings. The frameworks are often loose and wobbly, and stressesare set up 'in the tractorwhich, should not be present. From these andother causes failures sometimes occur. a

We have, therefore, conceived of a new and novel structureiorsupporting, operating, and manipulating a plow with reference. to atractor, and have devised means for overcoming. the ob-i iectionshereinbefore' noted.

It is a general object of the present to provide a 'novel'and movingdevice. t -More particularly it is an object of the invention toprovide, in an earth moving Ldeviceof invention improved form of earththe type in which a plow 101 the like is mountedupon a tractor or otherprime'm'over, a novel mounting therefor and a novel means for manip-:

-ulating and holding the plow with reference to thetractor. An object ofthe invention is to provide in a device of the above character amechanism and structure whereby the plow may be raised to an extremelyhigh position or dropped to alevel well below the lowest portion ofthetra'ctor. Another object of the invention is'to providehydraulically-actuated means forcontrolling the. plow in a device oftheiabove character. Another object ofthe'invention is to provide a todevice of the above ch'aracterso constructed and so operated that theplow may be raised to a position well out of the way and the tractorused for hauling other equipment without interference by the mechanismutilized in operating theplow.

Another object of our invention is to provide, in a plow mounting for atractor, a means for Positioning a plow located at the front of thetractor, by a hydraulic device operatively connected to the rear of themotor.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for taking directlythe stresses, particularly the spreading stress, occasioned by thehydraulic ram acting on the plow raising mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plow-manipulatingstructure which is close to the chassis in order to minimize stresses inall directions.

Another object of the invention is to provide an extraordinarily stiffplow-supporting frame so arranged that all the parts thereof are wellabove the ground at all times andout of the way, and such that thetractor may be turned. in a short radius.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pivotal mounting for theplow-supporting frame such that wrenching and twisting! of the tractoror frame does-notin'jure the parts of" either structure or of themounting and in which a cross shaft or crosstieassists'intakingunbalanced forces acting on the plow. I

' A feature, of the invention is that the plow may b e-pushed down andheld in that 'position.-.

Astill further obiect'of the invention is toprovide adevice of the abovec 'ter. which-ifs simple. rugged, and reliable. I Y ,r'

Other and further'features and obi ts of the invention will be moreapparent to in. the art upon a consideration of 'theaccompanyingdrawings and following 'speciflcatlon, wherein is disclosed a singleexemplary mentor the invention with the: however, that such changes. maybemade there-- in as fall within the scope-of the appended withoutdeparting from the spirit of i invenon. I,

' In said drawing Figureiis a view in perspective of a tractor upon,which a plow-is mounted by means of'a structure built accordingto ourinvention. The plow is shown in the raised position.

"Figure 2 isa view. in perspective of the tractor, the plow, and thesupporting and operating-de vices shown in Figure 1, but with the plowin a 65 lowered-position."

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of a portion of the structure used forsupporting the plow and of the means whereby the structure is supporteduponthe frame of the tractor. The view is in enlarged detail, andportions of the structure have been broken away to better show the partsthereof. I

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the mounting or bracket used insupporting the plow-supporting structure with reference to the frame ofthe tractor.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the shaft utilized in supportingthe plow-supporting structure with reference to the sub-frame of thetractor. I

Figure 6 is a view in end elevation of a bracket utilized for mountingthe hydraulic jack which operates and controls the plow with referenceto the tractor.

Figure '1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the hydraulicjack, and of the bracket used for mounting the hydraulic jack on atractor.

Figure 8 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section showing howthe cross axle of a device constructed according to our inventionaccommodates itself to unequal vertical displacement of the sub-framemembers of a tractor.

Figure 9 is a view in perspective of a pair of side frames and a plowblade mounted on the side frames, as these members appear whendisassociated with the tractor, and

Figure 10 is a detailed view in perspective of the frame and shaftstructures shown in Figure 3 but taken substantially at right angles tothe frame and on the opposite side of the tractor to better illustratethe position and structure of the parts.

The present invention deals particularly with a plow mounting of thetype wherein a supporting framework is mounted for pivotal movement onthe tractor, and wherein the plow is mounted upon the front end of thisframe and a hydraulic jack is operatively engaged to the rear of theframe and to the bed of the tractor. It is quite apparent, however, thatthe structure or portions thereof may be used or modified for use forother purposes. For instance, the structure might readily be providedwith a shovel instead of a plow support for the chassis 14 of thetractor upon,

which are mounted the motor 18 used in driving the tractor, the radiator1'2, control mechanism 18, the hydraulic control mechanism 19, andhydraulic pump mechanism 21. A draw bar 22 extends rearwardly from asuitable platform 23 at the rear of the tractor.

The tractor and hydrauiic control mechanism.

per se are not the subject matter of the present invention except intheir connection with the plow-supporting and actuating mechanismhereinafter more particularly described, but the mechanism and structureof the tractor are described in order to show how the plow ismountedthereon.

The mounting by which the plow-supporting structure is mounted on thetractor will now be described. This mounting and the plow-supportingstructure are better shown in Figures 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, and 11 taken inconnection with Figures 1 and 2. Two mountings are used, one on eachside of the tractor, and since the mountings are substantiallyduplicates of each other except that they are complementary and exceptfor a difference in one point hereinafter mentioned, only one will becompletely described.

An upwardly extending bracket 31 is mounted upon a horizontallyextending portion 32 of the sub-frame structure 13. The plate 33 towhich the bracket is secured is clamped upon the subframe by means ofplates 36 and bolts 3'1. The bracket 31 is bifurcated, and issuitablyrecessed at its upper end to provide a pair of bearings 38. Caps 39 areadapted to be bolted on the bracket to constitute the upper halves ofthe bearings.

A pair of stub shafts or trunnions 42 are pivotally journalled withinthe bearings of the bracket, and the trunnions are secured to and extendat right angles one on each side of a sleeve 43 which extends inwardlybetween the wheels and beneath the upper portion of the tread. It may bereadily understood that this pivotal mounting of the sleeve in bracket31 permits it to oscillate about the longitudinal axis of the bearingsof the bracket to permit it to align itself with referencethereto to thesub-frame structure. The trunnions are preferably loosely mounted withintheir bearings to permit free movement thereof both in rotation and inlimited transverse movement. Of course this structure is duplicated atthe other side of the tractor by bracket 31a, trunnions 42a, and sleeve43a.

A heavy shaft, which may be designated generally by the numeral 45 isjournalled within the sleeves 43 and 43a and this shaft is provided witha pair of shorter, cylindrical, freely-rotatable sleeves 46 at eitherend thereof to which trunnions 47 are secured. The ends of the shaft arecapped by large disc-like washers and nuts to hold the washers in place.

A pair of I beams 51, which are parts of the plow-supporting sideframes, are mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of the shaft 45by means of pairs of complementary brackets 52 and 53, having enlargedportions at their lower ends adapted to act as bearings for thetrunnions The shaft 45 extends entirely beneath the motorand mainportion of thetractor 10, but, in order that it may clear the motor andother parts of the tractor, the shaft is divided into two short shafts50, and an offset portion 54 is provided by securing crank throws 56 tothe inner ends of the shafts 50 and joining them by means of a sub-shaft57 which passes beneath, the motor. The stub shaft 57 may be secured tothe outer ends of the crank throws 56 in any desired manher as, by meansof rivets, welding. and the like.

The only difference in the two mountings is that in one; case thelongsleeve 43 is fastened tightly to the shaft 45 in order to preventthe shaftfrom moving too much vto one side. v The other sieeve d3a, isfree to move onthe shaft to accommodate,differential movements the .two

sub -frames, 13.. a

It will be noted that not only is the shaft 45 permitted to align itselfwith respect'to the tractor by ,means ofx-the sleeves .43 and brackets31, but the plow supporting framework is allowed to alignjtdlflwithflfiSpf-ict-to the shaft 45 by means of the-pivotalmountings4'? of the brackets 52 and 53. It is apparent that this mountingpresents tremendous advantages in permitting selfalignment'of theplow-supporting structure with reference to the tractor and that itthereby avoids excess stress on any one part of the mounting caused byunequal loading, warping, and the like.

The plow-supporting structure proper, shown more particularly in Figure8 includes a pair of side frames 55 and 55a, more or less triangular inshape, which are disposed one on each side of the tractor. The sideframes include a pair of rearwardly and upwardly extending beams 51 anda pair of horizontally and forwardly extending beams 61 which aresecured to the front ends of the I beams 51, and the structure is bracedto resist bending and torsional stress by means of channel irons 62which are secured to the beams 51 and 61 by means of rivets or the like.Saddles or struts 63 assist in furnishing stiffness to the structures,and the whole structure, by reason of the combination of the sloping andhorizontally-extending beams and the bracing not only assumes thecharacter of a truss well adapted to carry and sustain heavy loads, butalso supplies means located well above the ground whereby suitableleverage may be applied for raising and lowering the plow 66, which issecured to the front end of the structure.

The beams 51 and 61, channel 62-, and strut 63 may be considered "asforming side frames or frames 55 while the pair of frames, the crossshaft 45, and the plow and its various braces may be considered as theplow supporting framework 65.

The truss-like frames are,of course,induplicate, one on each side ofthe'tractor, and they are, as can be seen by inspection of the drawings,tied together by the, cross shaft 45 at the central portion and by theplow structure at the front. The shaft 80, crank arms 82, and links '78hereinafter described, assist in stiffening the structure. The result isthat a bridge-like structure is formed well adapted to meet stresses andforces from all directions. The side frames 55 and cross shaft 45 may beconsidered as forming an H- shaped plow supporting framework.

Another advantage of the plow-supporting structure just described isthat the beams 51 and 61 are well above the ground at all times whateverthe position of the plow, and therefore do not dig into the ground norprevent the tractor from making short turns.

The plow itself is comprised of the usual reinforced plate, having asuitable flanged portion 67 at the upper end for stiffness and otherangle irons 68 for stiffening the structure. A pair of complementarystiffening angle irons 69 afford a means whereby a supporting bar '71may be bolted to the back of the plow at '72. This bar is bolted byother suitable bolts or connections to the beam 61. A rectangular shoe'73 having beveled ends '74 is secured to the underside of the beam 61,as by means of bolts '76, to permit the plow to be skidded along theground without digging in, whenever this is desirable.

A suitable bracket '77 is bolted to the rear end of each beam 51, andeach bracket is provided with an eye so that H-shaped links '78 may bepivotally engaged'to the brackets as by means of the pins '79. A longcrank shaft extends entirely across the rear portion of the. tractorstructure, and is journalled. for rotation in brackets 81 which aresecured to L-shaped brackets 91, hereinafter described, which are inturnsecured to the tractor chassis. Offset cranks 82 are mounted on eitherend of the shaft 80, and the cranks are pivotally attached to theH-shaped links 78 by means of pinned pivotal connections 83. Other crankarms 84 are fastened on the shaft 80 somewhat to one side of the centerline of the tractor and an upwardly extending yoke 86 is pivotallysecured to the cranks 84 by means of pinned connections 8'7.

One of the L-shaped brackets 91 (Figs. 6 and '7) is arranged with asuitably flanged arm 92 to which the corresponding bracket 81 is securedand an arm 93 which may be secured to a rearwardly extending portion ofthe tractor. A horizontally extending plate 94 of bracket 91 is securedto the draw bar plate 23. Flanges 96, which connect the horizontally andvertically extending portions of the bracket, afford a journal in whicha shaft 97 may be mounted. A lower cylinder cap 'or head 98 is providedwitli a boss 99 through which the shaft 97 passes, and therefore the capmay be oscillated with respect to the bracket by pivoting it about theshaft 9'7. The head or cap 98 is provided with a suitable channel 101 sothat oil or other fluid may be introduced into the hydraulic jackcylinder 102. A flexible connection 103 leading from the hydraulic pumpand hydraulic control means 21 and 19, respectively, furnishes a conduitfor the oil. The hydraulic cylinder 102 is bolted to the cylinder head98 in a suitable manner, as by means of the-bolts 100. An upper cylindercap 104 is bolted to the upper end of the cylinder 102, and a piston(not shown) within the cylinder is operatively engaged to a piston rod106 which is rigidly attached to the yoke 86 by passing it through theuppermost portion of the yoke and securing it thereto by means of a nut107. V

It may be readily understood that when fluid is introduced into thecylinder 102 by means of the conduit 103 leading from the hydrauliccontrol mechanism and the hydraulic pump, a piston within the cylinderis caused to move upwardly to drive the rod 106 upwardly, to causeupward motion of the yoke 86 and cranks 84. The upward motion of thecranks 84 causes a downward and rearward movement of the offset cranks82 and downward. motion of the rear end of the plow supportingframework. This downward movement of the rear portion of the frameworkcauses an upward movement of the front portion of the framework to raisethe plow 66.

Conversely, the introduction of fluid into the upper portion of thecylinder 102 by means of the conduit 110 causes a downward movement ofthe yoke 86 and cranks 84 and forward and upward movement of the ofisetcranks 82 to cause upward movement of the rearwardly extending portionof the plow-supporting framework and '60- mechanism and draw barstructure, so that it does not interfere with use of the tractor forhauling other vehicles. The hydraulic cylinder 102, by reason of itspivotal mounting, and by reason of its connection-with the cranks 84,assumes an almost upright position when the plow israised. By arrangingthe plow-supporting structure and actuating structure in this mannerthese structures are well out of the way with reference to the draw bar,and with reference to any tongueor other connection used for haulingother vehicles, no matter how sharply the tractor may be turned withrespect to the following vehicles. This feature of the invention is ofparticular importance because it permits the tractor to be used whenevernecessary. for hauling other vehicles without dismounting the plow fromthe tractor.

The hydraulic jack preferably operates positively in both directions sothat the plow may be pushed up or down and held in that position;

It is apparent that the brackets 91 and 81 take directly the spreadingstress set up by the hydraulic jack, thus preventing this stress fromcoming on the tractor chassis where it does not belong. It is alsoapparent that the yoke and cross shaft structure employed permitsmounting the cross shaft close to the tractor chassis to minimize thestresses, side and otherwise, in the supporting brackets and in thechassis.

It is apparent that the structure may be considerably modified withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance thehydraulic jack may be mounted in other positions on the tractor toactuate the cross shaft 80,

or two or more jacks may be arranged to operatively engage the rear endsof the beams 51 directly to manipulate the plow. Instead of using beams51 and 61, one continuous beam may be utilized and the actuatingmechanism changed accordingly.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a tractor, a plow frameworkmounted upon the framework of the tractor and having a cross shaftextending beneath the main body of the tractor, and means for pivotallymounting the plow framework on the tractor framework comprising bracketson the tractor, a pair of sleeves pivotally mounted on the brackets formotion about a horizontal axis which is transverse to the longitudinalaxis of the shaft the shaft being rotatably mounted within the sleeves,and brackets secured to the plow framework and the outer ends of theshaft having transversely-extending pivot pins thereon which arepivotally engaged in the brackets on the plow framework whereby the plowframework may align itself to support the load according to the variousstresses put upon it.

2. A means of pivotally mounting one framework upon another comprisingpairs of brackets on each framework and a shaft extending between thebrackets, sleeves journalled upon the shaft and having transverselyextending pivot pins adapted to engage one of the pairs of brackets andthe shaft having another pair of pivot pins adapted to engage the otherpair of brackets.

3. In a device of the character described, a tractor, a frameworkpivotally mounted intermediate its ends and surrounding three sides ofthe tractor, the front end of the framework projecting in front of thetractor, a plow mounted on the front end of the framework, andthefraine- "ork being bent upwardly at its rear,a shaft rotatablymounted at the rear of the tractor and extending substantially acrossthe tractor, a pair of cranks on the end of the, shaft, a pair of linksextending downwardly from the rear ends of the framework to the crankson the shaft, a second pair of cranks located to one side of the centerline of the tractor on the shaft extending rearwardly, a yoke pivotallymounted on the second named pair of cranks, a hydraulic cylinderpivotally mounted on the tractor and having the end of its piston rodsecured to the yoke, the cylinder being also located to one side of thecenter line of the tractor, whereby upward movement of the piston andpiston rod of the hydraulic ram produces downward movement of the rearend of the framework and upward movement of the plow, and wherebydownward movement of the piston rod produces upward movement of the rearof the framework and downward movement of the plow.

4. In an earth moving device, a tractor, side frames pivotally mountedone on each of the subframes on opposite sides of the tractor and across tie passing beneath the main portion of the tractor having one endthereof pivotally secured to one sub-frame and having the other endsecured to the other sub-frame to permit both pivotal and longitudinalmovement .with respect thereto whereby the sub-frames are free to movedifferentially but whereby the side frames on opposite sides of thetractor are tied to each other.

5. A means of pivotally mounting a pair of side frames on a tractor topermit differential vertical movement of the pair of side framescomprising a cross shaft extending beneath the chassis of the tractor,means for pivotally engaging the frame members on the cross shaft, andmeans for pivotally engaging the ends of the cross shaft on thesub-frames of the tractor including transversely extending pivots on theshaft.

6. A means of pivotally mounting a pair of side frames on a tractor topermit differential vertical movement of the pair of side framescomprising a cross shaft extending beneath the chassis of the tractor,means for pivotally engaging the frame members on the cross shaft, andmeans for pivotally engaging the ends of the cross shaft on thesub-frames of the tractor including transversely extending pivots,sleeves on the shaft to which the pivots are engaged, and brackets onthe sub-frames for engaging the pivots.

7. In a device of the character described, a tractor, a plow, a plowsupporting framework pivotally engaged on the tractor, and means foractuating the plow supporting framework including a cross shaft at therear of the tractor, a pair of rearwardly extending lever arms on thecross shaft, a hydraulic jack one end of which is pivotally engaged tothe tractor, a yoke connecting the free ends of the lever, and the ramof the hydraulic jack being engaged to the yoke.

8. In a device of the character described, a tractor, a plow, a plowsupporting framework pivotally engaged on the tractor, and means foractuating the plow supporting framework including a cross shaft at therear of the tractor, a pair of rearwardly extending lever arms on thecross shaft, a hydraulic jack pivotally engaged to the tractor in asubstantially vertical position with the ram extending upwardly, and ayoke engaged to the ram and having its ends engaged to the free ends ofthe lever arms.

' ROY E. CHOATE.

' WALDO E RODLER.

